Reactions To Your Interest In Royalty

[*SofiaM*]

I find it hard to understand why people think it's strange to like royalty. I often sense that people don't like 'royalists', however I don't see the problem with visiting a site like this to see photos and read news articles??!

 

[Bella]

I find it hard to understand why people think it's strange to like royalty. I often sense that people don't like 'royalists', however I don't see the problem with visiting a site like this to see photos and read news articles??!

Most people in my circles are successful and have a comfortable life because of what they have done, not because 500 years ago an ancestor won a battle somewhere. So I think they look on royals, who have inherited everything they have pretty much, as do-nothings who just lucked out by the family they were born into and we as "common folk" are expected to treat them as though they are "superior". Why? What have they done to deserve even an iota of respect? That's the common complaint I hear. I also think many ppl, at least here in the US, can't comprehend PAYING to support ppl who have more money than most ppl will ever come near. And finally, I think ppl view royals as useless figureheads who do little more than open hospital wings and walk around shaking hands and all that. It's like, why does anyone need them and for what? As for visiting site like this, there's nothing wrong w it. It's fun and entertaining and even informative. I think ppl who get carried away - who live and breathe royals and start to lose interest in anything else - are scary. But that can be said for any sort of interest, not just an interest in royals.

 

[Roxsteve]

Most people in my circles are successful and have a comfortable life because of what they have done, not because 500 years ago an ancestor won a battle somewhere. So I think they look on royals, who have inherited everything they have pretty much, as do-nothings who just lucked out by the family they were born into and we as "common folk" are expected to treat them as though they are "superior". Why? What have they done to deserve even an iota of respect? That's the common complaint I hear. I also think many ppl, at least here in the US, can't comprehend PAYING to support ppl who have more money than most ppl will ever come near. And finally, I think ppl view royals as useless figureheads who do little more than open hospital wings and walk around shaking hands and all that. It's like, why does anyone need them and for what? As for visiting site like this, there's nothing wrong w it. It's fun and entertaining and even informative. I think ppl who get carried away - who live and breathe royals and start to lose interest in anything else - are scary. But that can be said for any sort of interest, not just an interest in royals.

AMEN. You have said it perfectly. It is kind of annoying that they get so much attention for not doing anything spectacular in their life. I totally agree. I love seeing the pics and what they wear, but I don't think it is right in this day and age to have "royals." I know I will get a lot of heat from other members, but I love seeing the pictures, what can I say...I just don't think going to theaters, galas and ceremonies is work...having three jobs, trying to put food in your children's plates, and working hard to have a roof over your head is work...JUST my opinon....

 

[*SofiaM*]

Ok, I am interested in your responses Roxsteve and Bella! I agree in a sense I mean, people who become 'obsessed'- (if you can call it that)? I think that is a little strange...

I think like most others I come here to comment 'Oh she looks lovely today' or 'I love those shoes' etc etc, however I also like to read about the royals who actually DO something- those that have set up their own charities/foundations.

I think people forget about this side of the concept of royalty. Some Queens, Kings, Princes, Princesses use their positions to help others, as do celebrities, ie Angelina Jolie. It's a shame that people don't know more about that aspect of it all!

 

[Beatrice]

royal-watching is like a hobby.i find it healthy to follow a royal family with limits esp. if you live in the same country with them.i don't think it's sad or a kind of obsession(at least for me because i know in person people obsessed with royals and it's quite dangerous..).well i don't live in Monaco and i'm mostly interested in Grimaldis but i have my reasons for that.and sofia is right there's no problem if someone comes here for new pics and articles.

 

[Beatrice]

My mother thinks that I could be doing something far more productive then worrying about the royals. And, I think she should leave me alone and mind her business.

i loved this message some people tell me the same thing!you're so right.

 

[iowabelle]

They don't understand it. And my friends wish I would stop talking about it.

What can I say? I just collect information that I have no practical purpose for (when I was in law school a friend called me "Cliff Claven" for all the useless trivia I have absorbed).

 

[KikkiB]

They don't understand it. And my friends wish I would stop talking about it.

What can I say? I just collect information that I have no practical purpose for (when I was in law school a friend called me "Cliff Claven" for all the useless trivia I have absorbed).

I know exactly how you feel! I also seem to store a lot of trivia knowledge that I don't need, it seems to steal harddrive space from the things I do need to remember Though, I guess we would be team captains on the national teams of Trivial Pursuit, if such things had existed

Thank heavens for this forum, or both me and my family and friends would have gone crazy a long time ago

 

[Furienna]

I'm actually more interested in past royals than current royals, even if I learn more and more about the current royals on this site. I don't think I'm ever going to come here just to look at dresses and tiaras though.

I try not to talk about royals with people, because I know they won't be as interested in it as I am. But sometimes, I can share some trivia with my mother.

 

[Her_Majesty]

They think: " Oh my God, she is crazy!"
But, Hello! They all watch the Royal Weddings and Christenings!
So, comeon! Who's crazy? They admire them, too. But I am the only one who is honest.

 

[princess leonor]

They propably think I'm crazy. Except for my grandfather who was as crazy as I am. On the day Felipe and Letizia got married we got up at 7 in the moring, to be ready in front of the tv at 8, in order not to miss anything. It was great

 

[RhapsodyBrat]

They propably think I'm crazy. Except for my grandfather who was as crazy as I am. On the day Felipe and Letizia got married we got up at 7 in the moring, to be ready in front of the tv at 8, in order not to miss anything. It was great

that's great princess leonor! the last time i shared an experience like that was when the Philippines hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 1994 and my sister and i both woke up early to watch it.

i remember watching the funeral of Princess Diana back in '97 and when my mom and sister (the same sis i watched the Miss Universe with) got home, i got scolded because i forgot to cook rice, since i was stuck in front of the TV. i remember thinking, "Hello? Don't you understand?! It's Princess Diana getting laid to rest! Isn't that important to you?!"

 

[princess leonor]

that's great princess leonor! the last time i shared an experience like that was when the Philippines hosted the Miss Universe pageant in 1994 and my sister and i both woke up early to watch it.

i remember watching the funeral of Princess Diana back in '97 and when my mom and sister (the same sis i watched the Miss Universe with) got home, i got scolded because i forgot to cook rice, since i was stuck in front of the TV. i remember thinking, "Hello? Don't you understand?! It's Princess Diana getting laid to rest! Isn't that important to you?!"

I can imagine that must have been terrible. It's incredible isn't it, how they are just unable to understand. That is actually the reason I spend the night at my grandparent, so I could watch it, without being called crazy or be disturbed

 

[Her_Majesty]

It's so great to read all your experiences!

In fact my grandfather is my personal "dealer" of Royal magazines!
He gives his old ones to me!
so I don't have to go to the shop and buy them there..
you know.. those gossip-magazines are just something for older women..
(yeah.. and for me... even if I just read them because the storys that are written there are soo extremely stupid and funny!)

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

When others' express ignorance about royals...

I am curious how royalty fans in general respond to the ignorance of others about royalty. You know when you are watching something with a group, or maybe looking at a magazine with some friends, and there is something about a royal, and someone in the group says something that you know is totally benign and ignorant. How do you handle that? Do you try to explain the correct way or just try to ignore it?

 

[*SofiaM*]

I don't really take notice to be honest because I do the same about other subjects that I really have no clue about. So unless somebody says something that is completely wrong I just ignore it.

 

[milla Ca]

It´s okay for me when people are not interested in Royalty or when they smile about my love for the British Royals.
But i can not tolerate when somebody repeats the gossip about a Royal printed in a bad magazine and claims to know the truth.
Then i can´t keep silent...
So my life is sometimes a mission to convince people that the Prince of Wales is so much more than the ´ex-husband of Diana´, and that Camilla is so much more than a ´third person in a marriage´. I will not stop before all Germans will love the next King and Queen of the UK...

 

[Henri M.]

I live in the Netherlands. My country has to deal with the Orange-Nassau dynasty for more than 600 years.

Of course there is ignorance, but that is in general not negatively meant. It is just part of daily life. You see the Queen on coins, on post stamps, on TV and you are used to her. I have never experienced any other Queen than the present one, you know. If there is nagging, then in 90% it is always and ever about the costs of the monarchy and their privileged life. But learn me the Dutch: nagging is their second nature, especially if it is about taxes.

But for the rest it is just there. Like there is water in the river, and clouds in the sky, there is a Queen in the palace. The Dutch would miss it, not to see the glittering ceremonial on Princes' Day, or the fun fair on Queen's Day, etc.

 

[LadyK]

I'll be honest- as an American, it is harder to find others who are as interested in royals as I am (other than here!). Particularly those who are interested in royals other than the British royals and the Monaco royals (who I'm not very into).
Some people, like my mother, who went with me to see the queen, could care less, (she's ambivilent), are willing to oblige me and listen to my stories. Other people, who are interested in geography and global cultures are willing to be listen, too. I think that is a lot about what I like about TRF- learning about the royals, and their lifes, but also learning about other cultures and countries from all of you!

I try to respect the people I'm talking to, and if they don't like the royals, then I try to talk about mutual interests, and if I happen to bring royalty into it, then all the better! For example, I can talk about history and architecture with some of my friends by discussing royal residences (I even did a case study about an old Spanish palace!) And almost all women are willing to hear about or look at royal jewels!!!

 

[Beatrice]

My all time fav royal is Princess Caroline and i've tried to change someone's opinion once but then i realised that those who share my interest on the Grimaldis aren't many so i gave up.Most of times i ignore their comments.

 

[Henri M.]

My all time fav royal is Princess Caroline and i've tried to change someone's opinion once but then i realised that those who share my interest on the Grimaldis aren't many so i gave up.Most of times i ignore their comments.

Why the Grimaldis and not the so much more historical Bourbons?

 

[ZandraRae]

I agree with LadyK. In America, you don't find many people who are interested in royalty as let's say people in Europe. In my computer class at school, I had the picture of the young royals at King Harald's birthday bash as my background, and people were like "who are they?" And then I'd have to explain and some would act interested, others not. I guess it's just a matter of what each person likes.

But if someone is bashing a certain royal, then I sometimes have to bite my tounge...

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

I agree with LadyK about the royal jewels. It's not hard at all to find women interested in the jewels, or the shoes!
Thanks for your input. I don't try to shove my interest in royalty down people's throats. It's just that sometimes people will bring it up at random if they see, for example, Prince William or Prince Harry on a magazine. And they say stupid things that I know are just idiocy (at worst) or at best ignorance. It galls me but usually I just hold my tongue and try to change the subject. But I wondered if there might be a better way, so I had to ask.... I find that I relate well to what milla was talking about, how no one gives The Prince of Wales credit where he deserves it, or hates The Duchess of Cornwall because of Diana. I am frustrated a lot with randomly made, but no less ignorant comments about them too. But I guess you guys pretty much agree that silence and changing the topic is the best way to handle it.

 

[sirhon11234]

Well all my friends and family don't really care about the Royal Family of G.B. and Monaco. I think the only royals that my friends know about are The Queen,Princess Diana ,Charles, Wills and Harry.
Usually when some one is bashing my favorite royal I either post back saying something very smart and haughty. Or i just go to the members corner. I of course love to post at Princess Diana's threads its kinda my own personal quest to honor and perserve her great legacy.

 

[Vanesa]

Of course, I tries to explain to them what mistake they committed expressing a wrong opinion about this or that. Not only about Royalty but about any other issue. I also likes that other people teachs me new things.

And yes, I committed a lot of mistakes speaking about persons that I don't know, but in general I try not to speak about an issue I don't really know. If I aid something wrong is believing I'm saying the truth. One of my great-grandpa from my mother's side was not very much educated. He only learned how to read and to write in his 30's. he was a Catalan immigrant who become rich. But when he was invited to reunions and people began to speak about issues about the ones he never knew anything, he wouldn't utter a word about them. He used to say: "Don't speaks about things that are foreign to you. Remain silent, and then, pick a book on the matter and learn about this thing". He became quite instructed.

My family is interested in Royals and some of my friends does too. But even being this way, they uses to said wrong things about, for example, Morocco or Brunei Monarchies. They knows almost nothing about them.

But don't worry! I'm learning them a lot of info in the matter! An Argentine proverbe saids: "You'll learn until the day you must die" ("Muriendo y aprendiendo")

Vanesa.

 

[stellam]

milla Ca,
I am the same. I don't have a problem with those who take the mickey out of me because of my love for the Royals but I have a major problem with those who will pick up magazines with all the negative stories and believe it to be the truth. My family have come to know me as a strong protector of the Royals even Prince Albert.

Stella

 

[regardez]

I actually always pretend to be ignorant of the royals myself too. (I live in the US and most people don't realize other countries besides Britan still have royal families) so I am not really bothered by it.

 

[puppigurl2005]

I try to hide my love of the royals because of the ignorant Americans I happen to be blood related to. The only royalty my family knows about is the British and the Japanese, so if i mentioned Jordan, Lietchenstein, Luxembourg or even the Dutch royal families, they wouldnt have a clue what i was talking about. I tried talking my parents into letting me go on a solo tour (while they would be in Paris, France) of Luxmebourg by telling them i wanted to go because of the history, but really I wanted to see if i had a chance of seeing the Grand duke, Grand duchess or HG Prince Guillaume. But of course it didnt happen and i was stuck in Paris for 2 weeks ( not that Im complaining).
If only they actually bothered to watch the BBC once in a while.

 

[fandesacs2003]

Generally, if I heard an "enormeous" silly thing, I try to correct or to disagree. If the ignorance concerns a royal detail, I do not say anything.

Just for laughing, I was once watching with friends the Hitchkock film with Grace Kelly and Kary Grand "Catch the thief"
At the end, one of my friends said :

"Wonderful beauty this Grace Kelly. Do you know that once she had an affair with Prince Rainier of Monaco ? ........"

I have corrected, It took me a long moment to go through the 25 years of this "affair"....

 

[Beatrice]

Why the Grimaldis and not the so much more historical Bourbons?

As far as this thread is concerned i was reffering to alive royals.We discuss often about the Grimaldis,we see them every week in mags because they live in France.Bourbons belong to history,i read/learn about them but that's all.I won't defend them or their choices and to be honest we don't talk about Bourbons.If France had a current RF maybe they would be my preference.You asked why i prefer them,well i like this family i see their photos and read articles concerning them ever since i was very young.